Trend following or trend fading?

Hi all:

I hear/read conflicting ideas: One is, trend is your friend. The other one is, professional traders fade the trend. Don't follow the crowd.

I have some experience in trading, not successful though. What is the better way to go: Trend following or trend fading? What do you think?

Tx

I only use the trend is your friend theory and I don't do any counter-trend trading, and everything is fine.
If you don't have that much experience I advise you to stick to trend following

You can look for changes in the short term trend and follow the long term trend. For example, if the long term trend is down, but on a shorter time frame there is an uptrend, you could look for a reversal of this back to the down trend.

This is similar to what I do, using S/R and candlesticks

Trend following has proved to be profitable in the past (check Turtles trading experiment back in the 80s) and now (check trend followers funds results over the last years).

Fading the trend is not healthly. Take EURUSD this year, open your Daily chart, the fat money were made on the short side, staying in short trades. Going long is like trying to catch a falling knife.

Trend following is not easy, to be profitable over the long run you need to be able to stay in the trade.

Both trend fading and trend following are profitable once a solid strategy backtested and proven to be successful over the long run with a solid money management rules applied.

i think the simple answer is... both, neither, and whichever works for you if either. maybe the answer for you is neither work to your advantage and it's something else that makes you the dollars. don't get too caught up in trends and fading etc. just drawing a line on a chart does not a trend make. chances are by the time you 'see' a trend it's about to change anyway and screw you over. well, that's my experience and you may fare better.

Trend is your friend till it reverses, Fading the trend will work till its a big trend.

It all depends on market conditions and experience.

Both are tradable.

If prices move, there is opportunity for profit.

It really just depends. You'll probably grow tired of hearing this phrase.

My strategy is trend following on a short time frame.

My advice for someone who isn't sure what to do:

1) Read a book on the subject. I suggest this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Technical-Anal...8828565&sr=8-2

2) Find something in it that you really enjoy and think is a great way to trade.

3) Practice that and develop your "edge" based on it

4) Don't get into the debates about "the trend is your friend" and whatnot. It doesn't matter at all in the scheme of things. Just find what you are good at and trade it. If you are good at anything yet, find something that looks interesting to you and practice it until you are good at it.